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TN 443 
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REPORT 




OF THE 


GEOLOGICAL SDRVEY AND CONDITION 


OF THE 


IN THE 


County of Mecklenburg-, 


NORTH CAROLINA. 


BY 


PROF. MONTROVILLE WILSON DICKESON, M. IL 


OF PHILADELPHIA, 

Member of the American Association for the Promotion of Science; the Academy 
of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia; the Society for Developing the 
Mineral Resources of the United States, &c., &c. 

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1883 




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PHILADELPHIA: 

J. B. CHANDLER, PRINTER, 306 CHESTNUT ST., GIRARD BUILDING, 

1860. 




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REPORT 


OF THE • 

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY AND CONDITION 





IN THE 

County of* JVCecklenburg, 

NORTH CAROLINA. 

PROF. MONTROVILLE WILSON DICKESON, M. D., 

OF PHILADELPHIA, 

Member of the American Association for the Promotion of Science; the Academy 
of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia; the Society for Developing the 
Mineral Resources of the United States, &c., &c. 



PHILADELPHIA: 

J. B. CHANDLER, PRINTER, 306 CHESTNUT ST., GIRARD BUILDING, 

1860. 







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RHEA MIRE, 

MECKLENBURG COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA. 






At the request of the owners of this property, I, in 
April last, gave it an examination, though it had been 
surveyed as early as the year 1853, and reported upon 
by Prof. Emmons, of North Carolina, whose report is 
herewith given. 

To the uninformed in regard to the mineral regions 
of North Carolina, the interim between these two periods 
of time, would naturally convey the impression that a 
property so rich and clearly available for production, 
would have been subjected in some measure, to the ex¬ 
hausting effect of mining. On the contrary, however, 
owing to the monetary difficulties that so soon inter¬ 
vened, subsequently to 1853, this property has main¬ 
tained its comparative integrity, which at that time was 
supposed to consist chiefly in the value of its gold veins, 
but to which late disclosures have given it more pro¬ 
minence in the way of its copper ores. 

The late practical developments in this state, present¬ 
ing an almost inexhaustible supply of copper ores—a 
result I had long since foretold, as sure to occur, when 




4 


confidence and capital could be intelligently directed in 
that way—are establishing the fact, that its mineral 
lands are very rich in cupriferous matter; and though 
all the lands denominated “ copper lands/’ are not re¬ 
liable as such, still there are a great many properties, 
on well defined leads that are worthy of entire confi¬ 
dence, and which must ultimately prove to be very 
valuable. 

Too many copper mines can neither be opened nor 
rendered productive in view of the very great and in¬ 
creasing demand for manufactured copper; as some ten 
millions of dollars worth is annually used up, or ren¬ 
dered worthless by the wants growing out of ocean 
navigation alone. 

This very fine property, embracing two contiguous 
tracts, the aggregate quantity of which is three hun¬ 
dred and seventy-five acres, is situated in the County 
of Mecklenburg, State of North Carolina, within nine 
miles of the town of Charlotte, which is the terminus 
of the Charlotte and South Carolina Railroad from 
Charleston, S. C., via Columbia; the North Carolina 
Railroad from Norfolk, via Wilmington and Beaufort, 
and which, also, possesses direct communication by the 
chain of Railroads to Baltimore, Md., thus affording 
every facility for transportation to a market that could 
reasonably be desired. 

In surveying this property, I examined the out-crop¬ 
pings of the veins throughout, and very thoroughly 
every portion of its workings, and traced clearly the 
different lodes. The result was two distinct veins run¬ 
ning parallel to each other, on a north-east and south- 


5 


west course, and distant about a fourth of a mile. 
There is, also, a third vein running east and west. 
These veins approximate very closely to vertically in 
dip, and are inclosed in perfect walls. 

Across the road from the main buildings on the plan¬ 
tation, several prospective shafts have been sunk to the 
depth of from twenty to seventy feet. Here is the 
“ Trelore shaft,” in which the copper ore made its ap¬ 
pearance at a depth of about forty feet, and continued 
gradually to increase in the form of prills and bunches 
down to the depth of seventy feet, where it occurs in 
masses weighing several hundred pounds each, entirely 
free of iron pyrites, and proving it to be a well defined 
copper lode. 

There has been but a small amount of drifting from 
this shaft; but sufficient, however, to confirm great 
value, and justify the fullest confidence in ample sup¬ 
plies of a much better than ordinary copper-ore; the 
character of which, is a yellow sulphuret yielding from 
twenty to twenty-five per cent. 

The veins on this property indicate great uniformity, 
are traceable nearly a mile, have been successfully 
worked for gold, and that they are very valuable and 
reliable for copper in the lower workings as very satis¬ 
factorily disclosed at this time, there cannot be a doubt. 

The property is well located for mining, with an 
abundance of fine timber, and nothing is necessary to 
render it immediately productive and profitable, but a 
limited amount of capital and ordinary energy in its 
application. 

I concur in the following report of Prof. Emmons, 


6 


State Geologist of North Carolina, which, at the period 
of time it was written, evidently favored the value of 
the property for gold, copper ores being in the public 
mind of secondary consideration, but which, hereafter, 
are to give the mining region of North Carolina an 
enduring importance and immense value. 

By perusing this report, it will be seen that in a 
number of instances it expresses with great distinctness 
the value of this property for copper ores, the copper 
pyrites being recognized at a point below the gold work¬ 
ings, and which very clearly defines the character of 
the upper and lower workings or the relative value of 
each. 

REPORT. 

In pursuance of my duties as Geologist of North 
Carolina, I have made a survey of the Rhea property, 
situated in the County of Mecklenburg. The veins in 
this property carry both copper and gold, which pos¬ 
sesses the necessary buildings for a plantation. The 
land is well located on a travelled route, and is plea¬ 
santly situated as to scenery, beauty and health. 

The vein of the metals occurs in three clusters; the 
first and most westerly cluster is made up of four 
parallel veins taken in pairs, thus: 1 and 2 parallel to 
each other; 3 and 4 also parallel, or nearly so. 

The course of 1 and 2 is north, 70° east. No. 1 has 
been worked to the depth of seventy feet. It has fur¬ 
nished several pockets, stated to have been worth from 
six dollars to seven dollars per bushel. Its average 
yield, taking the whole vein, has exceeded one dollar 


7 


per bushel. The width of the vein which is now from 
nine to twelve inches, has increased, and in its increase 
in width, it has also increased imperceptibly in the 
amount of copper pyrites. This accounts for an import¬ 
ant fact, for the yield of gold has apparently diminished 
with the depth; not because the vein carries less gold, 
but because the ore has passed from the brown oxide 
above, to the copper pyrites below. 

This is now a well known change. It would be an 
unfair representation of the value of the vein, if we 
omitted to mention the fact that the only method pur¬ 
sued at this time for obtaining the gold, has been by the 
drag-mill, a mode which, while it answers a very good 
and useful purpose for amalgamation when the quartz is 
already pulverized, is not at all adapted to the work of 
reducing it to powder. We have, therefore, sufficient 
ground for believing that considerable gold still remains 
in the sand, which has passed through the mill. 

This vein is well formed, and traverses a hard rock, 
with regular and distinct walls, and so far, the facts go 
to prove that it will continue in its present course. 

As this vein has changed its condition materially 
from the depth of fifty to seventy feet, by an increase of 
copper pyiites, which is scarcely mixed at all with iron 
pyrites, it is highly probable it will still continue to 
change, and finally become a good copper ore. 

The third vein runs in an oblique course to the first, 
and for a distance of several hundred feet, lies to the 
west of No. 1, which it intersects. This vein upon the 
hill has been worked one hundred feet deep. Portions 
of this vein are found to yield six dollars to seven 


8 


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dollars per bushel—vein-stone resembles the former. 
At the bottom of the hill at the branch, it is worked 
only to the depth of six feet, and the vein is still all 
standing, south of the branch. Southward these veins 
may be traced about a mile. 

These two veins constitute a mine in themselves, and 
will warrant the erection of a steam engine for working 
them, when if the mining works are properly con¬ 
ducted, they will pay a handsome profit to the owners. 

The second cluster is about one-third of a mile to 
the eastward. There is, however, only one vein that 
has been worked, which is three-fourths of a mile long. 
Shafts have been sunk upon it at various places, and 
much gold obtained, but the value of the vein is not yet 
fully tested, though its length and regular course show 
it to be a strong one. It has been worked to the depth 
of only thirty-five feet at one shaft, and portions of the 
vein here yielded three to four pennyweights to the 
bushel. The walls of the vein are hard, and not so 
easily drilled as the former. It is, however, like the 
others, sinking down vertically. Without placing any 
undue value upon this last vein, there is scarcely a 
doubt respecting the value and permanence of the two 
first, I have briefly noticed. The first is like the 
others, a decided indication that it will be permanent. 

The capabilities of the soil are not to be overlooked, 
for with tillage adapted to its nature, the plantation 
itself would furnish a source of gain. Its agricultural 
and mining capabilities, therefore, are recommendations 
not always connected, or met with on one plantation. 

(Signed) E. EMMONS. 


9 


RESUME. 

Three hundred and seventy-five acres of good agri¬ 
cultural land in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, 
within nine miles of the town of Charlotte, from which 
point railroads radiate from or connect with, those lead¬ 
ing to all the important cities on the sea-board, thus 
affording every reasonable facility for the purposes of 
transportation. 

The upper workings of this property, reliable gold 
veins, some of which have been wrought to great 
advantage, some still unwrought to much extent, none 
exhausted, and the general property inviting further 
development for gold. 

Copper indicated unmistakably by copper pyrites in all 
the veins in the lower workings, whenever and wherever 
they have been reached. 

The copper ore exposed in the “ Trelore Shaft” at a 
depth of forty feet, and which continues gradually to 
increase, by showing itself in prills and bunches, down 
to the depth of seventy feet, where large masses of the 
yellow sulphuret of copper, free of iron pyrites, yielding 
from twenty to twenty-five per cent, of copper, and 
weighing several hundred pounds each, are found, thus 
exhibiting a sound .basis for active copper mining opera¬ 
tions. 


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The veins on this property are of the desirable uni¬ 
formity, approaching vertically in dip, and inclosed in 
regular walls. 

The property is well located for mining, with timber 
in abundance, and nothing necessary to render it almost 
immediately productive and profitable, but capital and 
ordinary prudence and energy in its application. 

MONTROVILLE W. DICKESON, 

Economic Geologist , 

434 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 







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